Tostig Godwinson

Tostig Godwinson (1026-25 September 1066) was the Earl of Northumbria from 1055 to 1065 under England's king Edward the Confessor. In 1065, when Morcar took over as Earl of Northumbria, Tostig rebelled against England, and he allied with Harald III of Norway. The two were killed by Tostig's brother Harold Godwinson in the 1066 Battle of Stamford Bridge.

Biography
Tostig Godwinson was the son of Godwin, Earl of Wessex, the younger brother of Harold Godwinson. In 1051 he was forced to leave England with his father after Godwin refused to back Eustace II of Boulogne in a war with Dover, and in 1052 the two forcefully returned. In 1055, after Earl Siward of Northumbria died, Tostig became the new earl.

He was heavy-handed with those who resisted his rule, many of them former Danish invaders who were ennobled. Tostig oppressed the Northumbrians with the yoke of his rule, betraying many people whom he gave safe conduct. In 1063, he took part in the war with Wales, showing more cruelty. Two years later, his people rose up, killing his officials and sending for Morcar (brother of Edwin of Mercia) to become the new earl. Tostig resisted, and his brother Harold convinced King Edward the Confessor to outlaw Tostig. Morcar was recognized as the new Earl of Northumbria, and Tostig felt enmity towards his brother for the rest of his life.

In May 1066, Tostig Godwinson made the Isle of Wight his lands, and he raided the coast as far as Sandwich. After raiding Norfolk and Lancashire later in the year, he was defeated by Morcar and Edwin and he fled to his sworn brother, King Malcolm III of Scotland. He spent the summer in Scotland in exile, and he aided King Harald Hardrada of Norway in defeating Edwin and Morcar at the Battle of Fulford.

Death
Tostig again joined with Harald Hardrada to fight the English, and they met Harold's army in the Battle of Stamford Bridge on 25 September. The Norwegian-English Rebel army was defeated by Godwinson's army of professional English troops, who used archer fire to harry the Norwegians. Harald Hardrada was killed by an arrow to the neck, while Tostig was killed in combat.